Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma has thanked Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for proposing special assistance to the State to meet the challenges posed by floods in every monsoon.
Sitharaman in her Budget speech said: “Assam grapples with floods every year by the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries, originating outside India. We will provide assistance to Assam for flood management and related projects”.
“We are extremely grateful for the special assistance Assam will receive under this Budget to help meet the challenges posed by floods,” said the Chief Minister.
Dr. Sarma said that in the last five years, the Centre had released adequate funds to the State to mitigate flood problems. “In the last five years, the Centre had allocated ₹4,800 cr for flood management programmes. This assistance to mitigate the problem will be much more in the coming years after the Union Finance Minister, in her Budget speech, mentioned that the menace is caused largely due to water from outside the country,” said the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister said that in the Union Budget for 2024-25, devolution for the State has been increased to 13% compared to the last fiscal year. The amount fixed for the State for FY 2024-25 is ₹38,154 cr.
He said that in the Fiscal 2024-25, Central grant to State’s rural local bodies has been increased to 22%. It is 33% for urban local bodies and 50% for health care projects and five percent each for SDRF and SDMF programmes. “Assam will get ₹70,000 cr for JJM and ₹54,000 cr for PMAY. The PMAY ammount from Centre has been increased from ₹32,000 cr in the last Central budget.”
Dr. Sarma said that the Union Budget highlighted an innovative internship scheme for 500 Indian companies to skill one crore youths in five years. It targets individuals aged 21–24 who are neither employed nor in full time education. “I request the Union Finance Minister that Assam should get a substantial number in this drive by the Centre. We will also announce a fiscal package for the intern from Assam under this scheme,” said Dr. Sarma.
The Chief Minister said that under the Pradhan Mantri Cha Sramik Protsahan Yojana (PMCSPY), Assam will get ₹685.70 cr in the next two years. Dr. Sarma said that the scheme is aimed at need- based interventions in tea garden areas for internal strengthening provisions for education and health services to them. He said that the three components are Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Siksha Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, and Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Ashroy Yojana.
On the other hand , Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while elaborating the key announcements made in the Railway Budget 2024-25 said that the Budget allocations and initiatives aimed at transforming the Indian Railways and empower the North East Frontier Railways.
The Minister highlighted that ₹10,376 cr have been earmarked for the North Eastern region in FY 2024-25. He added that ₹74,972 cr have already been allocated for 18 ongoing projects involving new tracks of 1,368 km.
The Railway Minister said that 50 railway stations will be developed as Amrit stations in Assam. These railway stations are Amguri, Arunachal, Chaparmukh, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Diphu, Duliajan, Fakiragram Jn., Gauripur, Gohpur, Golaghat, Gosaigaonhat, Guwahati, Haibargaon, Harmutti, Hojai, Jagiroad, Jorhat Town, Kamakhya Jn, Kokrajhar, Lanka, Ledo, Lumding Jn, Majbat, Makum Jn, Margherita, Mariani Jn, Murkongselek, Naharkatiya, Nalbari, Namrup, Narangi, New Bongaigaon Jn, New Haflong, New Karimganj Jn, New Tinsukia Jn, North Lakhimpur, Pathshala, Rangapara North Jn, Rangiya Jn, Sarupathar, Sibsagar Town, Silapathar, Silchar, Simaluguri, Tangla, Tinsukia, Udalguri, Biswanath Chariali.
